'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'—Hosea 4:6
Q. How do you prove that?—A. Because believing is a Christian act, and none are true Christians but those who are born again. But I mean by believing, believing unto salvation.
Q. Can you prove this?—A. Yes. They that believe in the name of Christ are such who are born 'not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God' (John 1:13).
Q. What is believing?—A. It is such an act of a gracious soul, as layeth hold on God's mercy through Christ (Acts 15:11).
Q. Why do you call it an act of a gracious soul?—A. Because their minds are disposed that way, by 'the power of the Holy Ghost' (Rom 15:13).
Q. If such a poor sinner as I am would be saved from the wrath to come, how must I believe?—A. Thy first question should be on whom must I believe? (John 9:35,36).
Q. On whom then must I believe?—A. On the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).
Q. Who is Jesus Christ that I might believe in him?—A. He is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16).
Q. Why must I believe on him?—A. Because he is the Saviour of the world (2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 4:14).
Q. How is he the Saviour of the world?—A. By the Father's designation and sending: 'For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved' (John 3:17).
Q. How did he come into the world?—A. In man's flesh, in which flesh he fulfilled the law, died for our sins, conquered the devil and death, and obtained eternal redemption for us (Gal 4:4; Rom 10:4, 8:3; Heb 2:14,15, 6:20).
Q. But is there no other way to be saved but by believing in Jesus Christ?—A. 'There is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12); and therefore 'he that believeth not, shall be damned' (Mark 16:16; John 3:18,36).
Q. What is believing in Jesus Christ?—A. It is a receiving of him with what is in him, as the gift of God to thee a sinner (John 1:12).
Q. What is in Jesus Christ to encourage me to receive him?—A. Infinite righteousness to justify thee, and the Spirit without measure to sanctify thee (Isa 45:24,25; Dan 9:24; Phil 3:7-9; John 3:34).
Q. Is this mine if I receive Christ?—A. Yes, if thou receive him as God offereth him to thee (John 3:16).
Q. How doth God offer him to me?—A. Even as a rich man freely offereth an alms to a beggar, and so must thou receive him (John 6:32-35).
Q. Hath he indeed made amends for sin? and would he indeed have me accept of what he hath done?—A. That he hath made amends for sin it is evident, because God, for Christ's sake, forgiveth thee. And it is as evident that he would have thee accept thereof, because he offereth it to thee, and hath sworn to give thee the utmost benefit, to wit, eternal life, if thou dost receive it; yea, and hath threatened thee with eternal damnation, if, after all this, thou shalt neglect so great salvation (Eph 4:32; Rom 3:24; Matt 28:18-20; Acts 13:32-39; Heb 6:17,18, 2:3; Mark 16:16).
Q. But how must I be qualified before I shall dare to believe in Christ?—A. Come sensible of thy sins, and of the wrath of God due unto them, for thus thou art bid to come (Matt 11:28).
Q. Did ever any come thus to Christ?—A. David came thus (Psa 51:1-3); Paul and the jailor came thus (Acts 9:6, 16:30); also Christ's murderers came thus (Acts 2:37).
Q. But doth it not seem most reasonable that we should first mend and be good?—A. The 'whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick'; Christ came 'not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance' (Mark 2:17).
Q. But is it not the best way, if one can, to mend first?—A. This is just as if a sick man should say, Is it not best for me to be well before I go to the physician; or as if a wounded man should say, When I am cured, I will lie on the plaster.
Q. But when a poor creature sees its vileness, it is afraid to come to Christ, is it not?—A. Yes, but without ground, for he hath said, 'Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not': and 'to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word' (Isa 35:4, 66:2).
Q. What encouragement can be given us thus to come?—A. The prodigal came thus, and his father received him, and fell upon his neck and kissed him (Luke 15). Thus, he received the Colossians, and consequently all that are saved (Col 2:13).
Q. Will you give me one more encouragement?—A. The promises are so worded that those who are scarlet sinners, crimson sinners, blasphemous sinners, have encouragement to come to him with hopes of life (Isa 1:18; Mark 3:28; John 6:37; Luke 24:42,43; Acts 13:26).
Q. Shall every one that believeth be saved?—A. If they believe as the Scriptures have said, if the Scriptures be fulfilled in their believing (John 7:38; James 2:23).
Q. What do you mean by that?—A. When faith, which a man saith he hath, proveth itself to be of the right kind by its acts and operations in the mind of a poor sinner (James 2:19-23).
Q. Why, are there many kinds of faith?—A. Yes. There is a faith that will stand with a heart as hard as a rock; a short-winded faith, which dureth for a while, and in time of temptation such fall away (Luke 8:13).
Q. Is there any other kind of faith?—A. Yes. There is a faith that hath no more life in it than hath the body of a dead man (James 2:26).
Q. Is there yet another of these unprofitable faiths?—A. Yes. There is a faith that is of ourselves, and not of the special grace of God (Eph 2:8).
Q. Tell me if there be yet another?—A. There is a faith that standeth 'in the wisdom of men,' and not 'in the power of God' (1 Cor 2:5).
Q. Is here all?—A. No. There is a faith that seems to be holy, but it will not do, because it is not the most holy faith (2 Peter 2:9; Jude 20).
Q. Alas! if there be so many kinds of faith that will not profit to salvation, how easy is it for me to be deceived?—A. It is easy indeed, and therefore the Holy Ghost doth in this thing so often caution us, 'Be not deceived' (1 Cor 6:9). 'Let no man deceive you' (Eph 5:6), and 'If a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself' (Gal 6:3).
Q. But is there no way to distinguish the right faith from that which is wrong?—A. Yes, and that by the manner of its coming and operation.
Q. What do you mean by the manner of its coming?—A. Nay, you must make two questions of this one; that is, what is it for faith to come, and in what manner doth it come?
Q. Well then, what is it for faith to come?—A. This word, faith, comes; it supposeth thou wert once without it; it also supposeth that thou didst not fetch it whence it was; it also supposeth it hath a way of coming (Gal 3:23-25).
Q. That I was once without it, you intimated before, but must I take it without proof for granted?—A. I will give you a proof or two: 'God hath concluded them all in unbelief' (Rom 11:32). And again it is said, 'faith cometh' (Rom 10:17). And again, the Holy Ghost insinuateth our estate to be dreadful 'before faith came' (Gal 3:23).
